


replacement

by tasteslikeciel



Series: Hugsaku 2019: Let's Give Yusaku Hugs! [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Emissaryshipping, Kissing, M/M, Other, hints of Aiballshipping, hugsaku, hugsaku2019, like the intention is there but it doens't have to be if you don't want it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2020-10-25 01:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20715557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tasteslikeciel/pseuds/tasteslikeciel
Summary: With no Roboppi or Ai in his life anymore, things become a bit more lonely for Yusaku, but when a package arrives at his door containing a brand new, blank-slate SOLtis android, he decides using it can’t hurt.Written for the Hugsaku event!





	replacement

**Author's Note:**

> so yea this is me breaking from my fluff attack to bring sads

“Yusaku-sama, it’s past your bedtime.”

Despite the warning, he keeps on staring at his laptop screen like it’s the only thing in the world that exists. He hates not working when he feels like he needs to be and hates it, even more, when he’s close to a breakthrough and someone tries to pull him away from his work. After a few weeks of careful searching, he’s finally managed to find a lead on Ai’s whereabouts and doesn’t want to stop now. He can rest once he digs up a net address or a street number, he can sleep once he’s certain Ai will still be there in the morning. 

“Yusaku-sama.”

But fate steals his attention in the form of an impatient android with hair like an autumn forest. Gloved fingers glide across his skin and slip up his neck to trace his jawline before pressing underneath his chin and forcing his head to tilt upward, breaking his concentration and stilling his workflow. Green eyes with an unnatural glow meet his and Yusaku raises his eyebrows a bit in silent question, somewhat irritated but willing to hear the android out nonetheless.

“Working this late is detrimental to your health.” the android explains, a frown marring their features. “I’d highly advise you to rest for the night.”

Yusaku’s shoulders sag and his eyes shimmer, an anxious beat causing his heart to shudder. “But Ai--”

He’s cut off when the android leans down even further and presses their lips to his in a strange, upside-down kiss that has Yusaku seeing stars. It’s unreal how lifelike the SOLtis are, how soft and supple their lips can be, and how smooth and slick their tongues can feel. Yusaku always expects the taste of metal or new plastic, but Playmaker tastes mostly of nothing unless they do something to their system to put Yusaku into a particular mood.

“I don’t like when you talk about him.” the android says when they part and its voice is almost a hiss in the way Playmaker’s eyes narrow down at Yusaku in distaste. “Forget him. I can give you three reasons why I’m better than that broken A.I.”

Yusaku frowns. “He’s my friend.”

“He _left _you.” And it stings when he hears it because it’s true and he can’t help but wince. Playmaker isn’t unkind when he says it, but the anger in his voice is clear. “_Three_ _times._ Reason number one why I’m better: I’ll never make you cry.”

Yusaku opens his mouth to attempt defending his partner again, but Playmaker doesn't let him and seals any further arguments with another kiss. One hand stays curled underneath Yusaku’s chin but the other slips underneath the top of his hoodie and travels down until its fingers find Yusaku’s ribs and tickle him, just a little. Just enough to make him smile and distract him from the issue at hand.

“H-hey!”

“Reason number two: I put you first before all others. Are you going to rest now?” the android asks. It kisses him again despite his squirming and looks a little bit amused. “I can resort to other methods, if I need to, Yusaku-sama.”

Yusaku manages to pull the android’s hand out of his hoodie before it can wander somewhere more sensitive --and he could certainly feel those fingers trying their damndest to slip across his chest. He lightly hits the android’s wrist in punishment and gives them a stern look.

“No tickling.”

The android hums. “Reason number three: I can make you feel good. Has he ever done that for you? You always sleep very soundly when we--”

Yusaku’s cheeks turn a bit pink and he’s quick to shut that idea down as well. “Not that either.”

Playmaker huffs and wraps their arms around Yusaku’s shoulders instead. They squeeze, just enough to where the pressure is comforting rather than stifling and that does more for him than the kisses did. Yusaku leans into the android’s touch and stares blankly at his work. He doesn't want all this to be for naught just because a SOLtis he gave life to out of loneliness is jealous of his Ignis.

“Ai is important to me, even if all he does is leave me.” he tries to explain. Playmaker’s hug tightens and Yusaku can tell without needing to see its face that the android is unhappy. “I just...I at least want to be sure he’s okay. He was hurt. He lost his family...”

“ He hurt _ you. You _ were his family, too, but _he left you._ ” The venom dripping from the android’s words causes goosebumps to prickle across Yusaku’s skin. “I don’t want him anywhere near you…”

Here, the android sighs.

“But if that is your wish, Yusaku-sama, then I’ll help you achieve your goals. I cannot promise I’ll be civil should he and I ever meet, though. The same goes for anyone else that has ever upset you. You’re special. I would never hurt you like that.”

Yusaku snorts humorlessly. “That’s because you’re programmed to think that way… I really am pathetic.”

When he first received the blank SOLtis, Yusaku didn’t know what to do with it. It arrived very suddenly and with no return address to his apartment door one day. There was just a little note with his name written on it and a heart drawn around it. At first, he shoved it into a corner and let it sit and collect dust, but with Roboppi gone and Ai vanished off the face of the Earth, Yusaku’s days grew more and more lonely until he found himself ripping the box open and looking through a hefty instruction manual on how to operate the SOLtis base. With his coding skills, it was simple to make something a bit more detailed and base customization was surprisingly easy. It’s part-hologram, part-Solid Vision, so a person can literally make anyone and anything they desired so long as they had proper visuals. Unfortunately, Yusaku isn’t much for character creation and so he settled for using his own Link VRAINS avatar (because anyone else would be too weird for him to handle) as a test run. 

And...well. It stuck. He doesn't think he can bring himself to shut the SOLtis down at this point, especially not after the things they’ve done. Playmaker’s A.I. seemed to settle on the base stats for being a Lover-Type SOLtis. It hadn’t been intentional but...well, Yusaku doesn't actually mind it. It's always there to offer comfort and companionship and isn't afraid to try out new things.

“Is wanting to not be hurt such a bad thing?” Playmaker presses kisses against Yusaku’s neck and keeps him held tightly within his arms. He nuzzles him. “I love my A.I. because you’re the one who gave it to me. I’m as real as anyone else. Isn’t that enough?”

“...”

Yusaku finds he doesn't have a response to give because maybe Playmaker is right. Maybe it doesn't matter, in the end. Maybe there’s some kind of happiness to be found in whatever this thing is they’ve started.

Yusaku frowns.

Still. He can’t help but feel like he’s trying to replace Ai’s presence in his life with another. Playmaker is smart and his A.I. is far more advanced than any normal SOLtis out there, but he’s no Ignis. He’s not Ai. 

And he wishes, with all his heart, that Ai would just come home because even with Playmaker by his side, he’s lonely.


End file.
